Time to let go
by anedzmesia
Summary: It was finally time. Time for her to let go. Time for her to say goodbye. Sets around the time before Lucas's wedding to Lindsay.


_A.N. This sets around the time before Lucas's wedding to Lindsay. _

**_I don't believe an accident of birth makes people sisters or brothers. It makes them siblings, gives them mutuality of parentage. Sisterhood and brotherhood is a condition people have to work at. ~Maya Angelou_**

She parked her Comet underneath the shades of tree and took in a deep breath. She loved it here. The smell of it always felt like home to her. Before knowing _him_ she had never really came here. It was forbidden land - at least that's what her ex had told her. She peered out to see the very same ex shooting around on the Rivercourt. A few months ago the man could barely walk and now he's shooting hoops as if nothing had happened. It suddenly reminded her about the infamous match many many years ago between the two non-speaking brothers who shared the same terrible father. Back then they were sworn enemies and if anyone had told her things were going to turn out like this, she would laugh at their face. But now, she could only beam at how Nathan had grown. From a total ass to a caring father, husband and friend. She always knew that there was something special about Nathan Scott, and it never was just basketball. It was so much more and right now, seeing him playing the game he loved so much reminded her of all of it. She opened her side door and stepped out. Again, she took in the view. How she missed this place, how this was the first place she came to right after she landed months ago. This place brought her peace and serenity. This place boasted of friendship and love, all the things that she had missed throughout the four years she was away. The writings of their names had nearly faded; she could barely see now her own name just beside _his_. It seemed like ages ago they had printed it there. The boy or she should call man stopped his game and squinted at her. And then he smiled, his very own personal Nathan Scott smile. He was always a handsome young man and once a long time ago she had prided in that. But now there was more to that. There was a heart, so pure and so good.

"What you doing here Blondie?" Ahh, the nickname. It had been a long time since someone called her that.

"Have I ever told you how good you look every time you play? How's the game going?"

"Yeah, always. When we were together. Things are going ok, not great but ok. Hey, at least I can walk again so there's no complaining right." He smirked and she had to smile to that. Somewhere underneath this changed man, there would always be the sweet naughty boy she once knew.

"You really make me proud you know. And not just for standing back up again after everything you've been through. But for being a great guy. Kind and caring with a massive heart. Sometimes when I think about those times when we were still 16, fooling around, making out today and breaking up tomorrow, unknowing of everything in the world, I just find myself amazed. By you. By how you become a man in a blink of an eye."

"Well, I wouldn't say in a blink of an eye. But, yeah, when you have a murderous father yet wonderful wife you tend to grow up. Be the man you have to be. You're not so bad yourself. Look at you. At 16, I never would have bet that you would have a label of yourself." Neither did i, she thought. At 16, the only thing that she thought was sex and fun. Oh yeah, and darkness. A lot of darkness.

"But, you're one of the lucky ones you know. To have found the courage to be who you want to be in the best version that you could be. Whatever your dream is, to play in the NBA or be a great father to Jamie, I know it's going to come true. It's already starting now. Never let go of that dream Nathan. No matter how hard things seem to be or how sucking life is, you, my friend are destined for a dream come true."

"Thanks. You're destined for greatness too you know." She blushed at that. She'd heard that sometime before, just from a different person.

"I never told you this, but I've always secretly regard you as my brother you know. As someone I know I can count on and look out for me. And that's what you're always going to be in my heart. My brother. And I will always love you."

"I love you too but this is starting to creep me out. What's going on?"

"Could you promise me something?."

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**_Sisters function as safety nets in a chaotic world simply by being there for each other. ~Carol Saline_**

She folded her arms as she stood outside her very own studio. RED BEDROOM RECORDS. It was her baby, her dream come true and damn she was so proud of it. The assistant to the assistant had finally made it, finally stood on her own two feet. At the back of her head right now she could list down all the people she had to thank for making this all happen. Making it even remotely possible. They offered her not just money and a place but also guidance and support. One of them was actually still inside there busy focusing on the producing work she had so kindly helped out with it. That girl in there was totally a rock star, well literally is but she's far more than just that. She became a part of her family, a sister. Glancing back down memory lane, she could still picture Haley in her poncho complete with her tutor-girl style. She was outside their circle, she was one of those so called nerds who liked to bury themselves inside books and cling on to their best friends. But once you get to know her, she's more than that. Definitely more. She was the matured one among them, the first to offer rational advice, the first to come up with a plan whenever something got wrong. Her motherly instinct was just overwhelming. Haley was also the protective one. Not just for her _best friend_ but everyone in general. She protected their hearts from hurt and fear and in some way she was thankful for that. Thankful that Haley had helped protect her heart from hurting itself. She was everyone's best friend and in a way everyone needed a bit of Haley from time to time. Herself included. She softly knocked hoping to not interrupt and when the brunette lifted her head and nodded she stepped in.

"Hey, I was just finishing these off. I think Mia's new record will be a hit." The enthusiasm on her face glowed. Music would always be Haley's passion and right know she felt glad she had offered tutor-mom the chance to fulfill that passion.

"Me too. Are you still mad at me? You know for the whole kissing thing?"

"I am. But I also know it's not my place. Well, it is considering I am his best friend but I also know that it's hard on you too, so I'm not going to be mad at you anymore." Protective, as always.

"Thank you, Hales. For everything. I mean it. Not just for understanding me and making me understand but for being here. Helping me with the label and all the other stuff associated."

"I'm always here for you Peyton." Eventhough she had always knew it, it felt good to hear that from Haley.

"Well, that's why I'm saying thank you. You know how my life has been just a complete mess ever since we finished high school. I thought that LA was my future back then and for years I let myself believe that. I wanted to believe that. But everything just didn't seem right. Parts of me was missing. Things I searched high and low for but just couldn't find before I realized that the reason I couldn't find it was because it wasn't even there in the first place. And only when I came back here that I realized all this while it's just been here, waiting for me."

"Lucas?" And it always had to come back to _him_, hadn't it.

"I was going to say, my family. You guys. You, Nathan, Jamie, Brooke, him. All of you. Especially you. You're like the sister I never had. The one person that tells me off when I'm doing something wrong, the one that pulls me back to the right direction when I'm going the wrong way. You're considerate, and you attempt to understand people even when they think they don't need it and you make things better for them, and for me. You're an amazing person."

"You're amazing too you know."

"Well, I'm not really sure about that. But I am sure that you are an amazing mother and wife but most importantly, an amazing friend, Haley James Scott. Never doubt that."

"Is there something you're not telling me. Because I have a feeling there is."

"I need you're help for something."

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_**If I had to sum up Friendship in one word, it would be Comfort. ~Adabella Radici**_

The blonde stood outside the store and gazed in through the glass window which had a proud sign 'Clothes Over Bros'. In her head she could vividly remember the day her best friend told her about starting up the line to get over a certain boy. And it also didn't slip from her mind the memory of how the both of them had broke in the store that had stole those design and claim to be theirs. It wasn't just about the designs, it was more about faith and belief in the power that one had inside them. The power that the girl inside there had. Even from outside she could clearly see the brunette furrowing her brows while talking or rather yelling on the phone. And she couldn't help hope that it wasn't because of the bitchy mother she had, again. If only Brooke would just believe in that power too instead of having to listen to the mother that needed her but not love her. If only Brooke could just realize that she had so much greatness in herself, more that Victoria could ever wish for and stand up for it. Slowly she pushed open the door to let herself in and take in the view. She never told Brooke this, but every time she step foot into this store, she always felt a sense of euphoria driven by the pride she held so high for her best friend. Sure, the small store that was once Karen's Café was nothing compared to the multimillion dollar businesses she owned but there was something so special inside here that every time you walk in you could just feel it. Every effort, every detail in it had Brooke's name written all over it as if it was saying 'I am owned by Brooke Davis, and Brooke Davis alone'. The pretty girl had made it. She had proven that she was a smart and charismatic woman, and on top of it all, she had a beautiful heart. Brooke turned around, still with her phone stuck to her ear and held up her hand to tell her to wait and she just smiled knowingly. She sat down on one of the oversized comfy purple sofa and starting flicking through B. Davis magazine. It reminded her of LA. How sometimes after a hard day just sucking up to people who didn't deserve it, she would walk pass the small shop on the corner to her apartment and pass by a hanging there begging to be picked up. People always thought that she was only obsessed on buying the _other book, _but little did they know that this magazine was also an obsession too.

"Hey. Sorry for that. Victoria as usual making my day hell." Brooke sat beside her and she couldn't resist stroking her best friend's arm offering the little comfort she had. She was barely holding it in and she knew Brooke didn't deserve another one of those break down moments she kept having lately. A pang of guilt hit her as she remembered Brooke's exact words in the library. _'You're here now. What about the past four years?'_

"Doesn't she always. Don't worry Brooke. You have got this all under control because guess what? You're B. Davis. My best friend, B. Davis. And you can go through anything. If Victoria doesn't believe in you, then screw her. I believe in you and I believe you can do anything that you want to."

"You do? Because sometimes I find myself questioning. Victoria's my mother and she doesn't, so why do you? And why would anyone else for that matter?"

"You remember when my mom died and you held on to me when we were sitting under the bridge. I still remember how strong your arms were. It was like you were making sure that you had your arms fully wrapped around me and not leave a single space for sadness to seep in. And I guess, since then I always believed that you would be the toughest girl I would ever know and I could never find a friend better than you. That day you became my best friend. And in every moment, even when we were fighting in high school or when we were states apart I always knew that would never change. I love you Brooke Davis and thank you for everything."

"Wait a second. I love you too but something is definitely not right here. Did something happen again? Did Lucas happen again?" she had to chuckle at that. It seems that right now, if anything was ever the problem it would always come back to that. How boring was her life.

"No. He's not happening and never will be again. Don't worry. Nothing's wrong. It's just that you have done so much for me. You came back and left a company for me. You held me every time I cry and you make me laugh again. You become my best friend, no questions asked. You comfort me in the best way possible. Even when you're just bitching and whining or when you're laughing and flirting, it comforts me. It makes me feel better. You, always make me feel better. And I don't think I've ever really thanked you enough for all of it."

"You don't have to. You know how much I love you."

"And I love you too. But I have to say it to you. I still have to tell you how much your friendship means to me and how a great person you are. Because you deserve it. You deserve the best that this world has to offer and I really wish that for you. With all my heart."

"Honey, what's going on?"

"Nothing. Everything. I have something to tell you."

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_**Love is the condition in which the happiness of another person is essential to your own. ~Robert Heinlein**_

She stood in the middle of the school basketball court thanking the fact that practice was over and because of that hopefully _he_ had gone home. Home to his beautiful and perfect fiancé. How she ended up here still became a mystery to her. She was just driving by the school when she suddenly parked and started walking inside. Standing here now, she may have just found the answer. She never really admitted it but she did kind of miss being here. Sure, she was not the cheeriest person to be a cheerleader, but she did become one. She remembered how Brooke had begged her to join and swear that she would love it and truth be told she did love every moment of it. And this court. This court that looked like every other high school court may have been the most historic place ever to her, well this and the lake. It held quite a number of memories she kept close to her heart. Memories of _him_. '_Your art matters. Its what got me here.' 'Its you, the one I want next to me when all my dreams come true, its you._' Those moments of clarity stay vivid in her mind during wake and in dreams during sleep. It was as if those moments stay alive teasing her about all the what ifs that she had missed on. It was complete and utter torture but she went through it every single day. Pushing it to the furthest spot in her brain and try to live through it. And now this place had just added a new memory, a new torture for her. '_If what you want is for me to let go, then I'll do it. Be happy Luke, I want it with all my heart.'_ She really did mean it this time. His happiness was worth everything she ever had and if her sacrifice could make that possible then she would anything to ensure it for him.

"Peyton?" _Him_.


End file.
